From Balcony to French Window: Effects of Urban Transformatıon on Local People of Suadiye and Bostancı Districts

Abstract

This paper aims to discuss the effects of urban transformation on local people of Suadiye and Bostancı Districts in Kadıköy - İstanbul regarding people’s life styles, habits, and relation with built environment. After the 17th August 1999 earthquake, the government has supported urban transformation for risky and dangerous buildings even in some cases for the whole of a district. As a result of this support, especially more profitable districts have undergone a rapid environmental change. Suadiye and Bostancı are the two examples of this situation. In this paper, general characteristics of urbanization and urban transformation and their relation with the socio-cultural sustainability in the Suadiye and Bostanci are analysed by design thinking methods. In order to understand the governmental aspects of urban transformation, at first urban transformation laws are expressed briefly. After the brief explanation, effects of urban transformation on local people are discussed. The discussion is supported by the observations, desktop research, self-experiences and literature review. The discussion is especially focused on the shift from the balcony to French windows because of implicit and explicit meanings of the balcony. Consequently, environmental stress depending on the urban transformation on local people of Suadiye and Bostancı is emphasized and concerns about the losing certain cultural values of the districts are shared.